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I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)
| recorded = 1986 | studio = | venue = | genre = | length = 3:52 | label = Arista | writer = | producer = Narada Michael Walden | chronology = Aretha Franklin | prev_title = Jimmy Lee | prev_year = 1987 | next_title = Rock-a-Lott | next_year = 1987 | misc = }} "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" is a Grammy Award-winning song released by American singer Aretha Franklin and English singer George Michael as a duet in 1987. The song was a number one hit in the United States, the United Kingdom, and several other countries. ''Billboard'' listed "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" as Aretha Franklin's all-time biggest Hot 100 single. It also stands as Franklin's biggest hit on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, spending several weeks at number two (thwarted from the number-one position by Starship and Steve Winwood). The song was written by Simon Climie and Dennis Morgan and produced by Narada Michael Walden. Franklin and Michael won a 1987 Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)". Recording In 2017, following Michael's death in late 2016, Franklin recalled the following about the recording of the song: The first time I heard George was with Wham! and I liked it then. He had a very unique sound, very different from anything that was out there. When Clive Franklin’s producer and label boss suggested we get together for “I Knew You Were Waiting,” I was all ready. It reminded me of with producer Jerry Wexler. We’d go in the studio and cut songs. If we were happy with what we recorded, Jerry would say, “Let’s wait until tomorrow. If we feel the same way then that we do now, maybe we have a hit.” “I Knew You Were Waiting” had that. Musically, it does not grow old. Personnel *Aretha Franklin – vocals *George Michael – vocals *Walter "Baby Love" Afanasieff – synthesizer, Moog synth bass, programming *Corrado Rustici – Charvel GTM6 MIDI guitar synthesizer *Randy "The King" Jackson – bass guitar *Narada Michael Walden – drums *Preston "Tiger Head" Glass – percussion, drum programming *Greg "Gigi" Gonaway – tambourine, percussion *Karen "Kitty Beethoven" Brewington, Kevin Dorsey, Jim Gilstrap, Jennifer Hall, Myrna Matthews, Claytoven Richardson, Jeanie Tracy – backing vocals Music video The official music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan. It begins with George Michael and two bodyguards entering a dark room. There is a large viewing screen on the wall showing Aretha Franklin preparing for George Michael. Over the course of the video, each of the singers are shown performing the song both in front of the screen and on it. During the second verse, footage from both Franklin's and Michael's earlier careers is shown on the screen. As the second chorus ends, Michael joins Franklin on the stage, and footage of earlier famous duet pairs – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Sonny and Cher, and others – are shown on the viewing screen while Michael and Franklin sing the song's bridge. At the end of the video, Franklin winks at the camera. Reception and chart performance The song was a one-off project that helped Michael achieve his ambition to sing with one of his favorite artists, and it reached number-one on both the UK Singles Chart and ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was Franklin's first and only UK number-one hit, and only her fourth top 10 achievement in the country since "I Say a Little Prayer", nearly two decades earlier. This was also the last of Franklin's 17 top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as her second number-one hit. For Michael, it became his third consecutive number-one in the UK since going solo, following 1984's "Careless Whisper" (though the single was actually from the Wham! album Make It Big) and 1986's "A Different Corner". In the US, it was Michael's fourth number-one hit, counting his Wham! days. Producer Narada Michael Walden had the unique distinction of knocking himself out of the US number-one spot, having knocked "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" out of the top. The single was the first Michael had recorded as a solo artist that he had not written himself. The co-writer, Simon Climie, was unknown at the time, although he later had success as a performer with Climie Fisher in 1988. On the US Billboard Hot 100, "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" debuted at number 59, the week of February 21, 1987, reaching number one in its ninth week, April 18, 1987, and remaining there for two consecutive weeks. In his book entitled Dynamic Duets: The Best Pop Collaborations from 1955 to 1999, author Bob Leszczak described "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" as a "joyous and uplifting duet". Charts and certifications Weekly charts Certifications Track listing 7" # "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" – 3:52 # "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (Instrumental) – 4:00 US 12" maxi-single # "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (Edited remix) – 5:29 # "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (Percappela) – 5:14 # "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (Album version) – 4:01 # "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (Extended remix) – 7:30 #*Remixed by Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero Cover versions * The Shadows did an instrumental version in 1987 on the album Simply Shadows. * A live version of the song was featured on the Bucks Fizz album Live at the Fairfield Hall, Croydon in 1991. * A cover of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" was recorded in 2001 by Hear'Say as the B-side to their single "Everybody". * Michael McDonald covered it in 2008 on his album Soul Speak. * A cover version of the chorus of "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" featured in "Welcome Back", a three-minute-long British TV commercial for telecommunications company T-Mobile which first aired on October 29, 2010. * The song was performed as a duet by Joshua Ledet and Jessica Sanchez on the eleventh season of American Idol during top eight week and the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2012 during Ledet's set. * The song was also performed as a duet by CJ Harris and Malaya Watson on the thirteenth season of American Idol during top eight redux week. * Crystal Lewis and Michael English covered the song for English's 2012 project, Some People Change. * Country music superstars Tim McGraw and Faith Hill opened their 2017–18 Soul2Soul World Tour with a cover of the song. References External links * Category:1986 songs Category:1987 singles Category:Aretha Franklin songs Category:Arista Records singles Category:Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Category:Dutch Top 40 number-one singles Category:Single Top 100 number-one singles Category:European Hot 100 Singles number-one singles Category:George Michael songs Category:Hear'Say songs Category:Number-one singles in Australia Category:Music videos directed by Andy Morahan Category:Song recordings produced by Narada Michael Walden Category:Songs written by Simon Climie Category:Songs written by Dennis Morgan (songwriter) Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles Category:Vocal duets